Wheel-hub.



A. V. MITCHELL.

WHEEL HUB. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, I9I3.

Patented Apr. 10,1917.

IEKMWIIIIII .n I I :I Y I I II I I I l nu: Ivrmms Pneus co., Prmmumo..wsnmcmu, n c,

AUGUSTA V. TJITCHEL, 0F V/"ASHINGTON, :DISTRXCT OF CGL'UlvBll.

WHEEL-HUB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1d., 1:1117..

Application filed I une 20, 1913. Serial No. 7V-1,8%.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that 1,- AUGUSTA V. MITCHELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates7 and resident of Washington, District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful improvements in VVheel-Hubs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to wheel hubs and has particular reference to thehubs used in automobile wheels employing spring spokes of a novel kind.rilhe purpose of the invention is to simplify and cheapen theconstruction of the hubs and at the same time to secure greater strengthand durability. yEhe novel features will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings.

1n the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away of a wheel having myinvention ap'- plied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the hub-alone;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the hub Fig. 4: is a view like Fig.1 showing a modified construction as used on the wheel embodying thebrake drum.

1n the drawings, 10 represents the body portion of the hub, 11represents the rim of an automobile wheel on which is secured the tire12 and 13 represents the spring spokes.

The body member 10 has the usual bearing opening 14 which may be made ofany suitable shape or construction to suit the particular use and thebody member has on it a circular radial flange 15 which as shown hasconsiderable thickness. r1`his iange 15 has grooves 16 formed in oneface and radiating from the center and they extend through the majorportion of the flange to a point near the opposite face thereof. Auniform thickness of material is left at the end of each slot thusleaving what may be termed an integral plate closing the ends of theslots on one side of the device. These grooves are of substantiallyuniform depth and are of such width in the preferred construction shownto receive the ends of two flat spring spokes. The outer ends of thegrooves are enlarged as at 17 by outward curves to the material formingthe groove so that the form of spring spoke shown may curve outward awayfrom the adjacent spoke within the margin of the circular flange ce itwill be observed that by this construction the body member has radin`projections around its circumference leaving grooves with parallel sidesto receive the spokes and that the outer ends of the projections are lrounded on a curve in the plane of the wheel.

As will be seen by reference to the draw* ings, the spokes have endswhich are flat and radial and the two ends of each spoke enter twoadjacent slots and the spoke can be placed in position by sliding it infrom the open end of the slots. A plate 18 eX- tends radially around thebody member and is secured to the face of `the flange 15 over the openends of the slots, thus holding and securing the spring spokes in place.llhe f spokes themselves preferably have a width equal to the depth ofthe grooves and therefore fit snugly in them. The radial plate 18 issecured in place by any suitable means and in the form shown 1 haveillustrated bolts 19 for that purpose passing through the flange 15.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that above described butin order to provide means for securing in place the brake drum ll haveshown the material be tween the adjacent slots at intervals around thecircumference extended outward beyond the edge of the flange 15, theextension being marked 20. 'llhe brake drum may be bolted directly tothese extensions thus furnishing a solid and durable fastening means. 1nthis particular form 1 have also shown the inner ends of the springspokes 13 bent at an angle at 21 fitting in a corresponding groovetransversely at the inner edge of the radial grooves 16. r1`hese inwardbends serve to lock the spokes in position but 1 have found that suchlocking means is not always necessary since the spokes will besufficiently locked by the radial arrangement of the ends.

When positive means are to be used for locking the spokes against endmovement in the grooves 16 as may be advisable in some cases 1 prefer touse for the purpose the means shown in Figs. 1 and 3. llFhat meansconsists in a small circular rib 22 formed on the inner face of theplate 1S entering a groove 23 in the face of 'the -iiange 15 crossingthe grooves 16. The inner radial ends of the'spokes have notches intheir edges corresponding to and forming a continua` tion of the groove23 when the spokes are in place so that the rib 22 entering the notcheswill lock the spokes against end movement.

Since the body member and radial flange are made from a single piece ofmaterial the Wheel hub Will have great strength and durability, andowing to the construction described it is very easy to secure the spokesin place on the hub and a single spoke may be removed by removing theend retaining plate Without disturbing the other spokes. The wheel hubis preferably made 01"' metal, but it Will be understood that theinvention is not limited to the particular material.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters-Patent is,

In a Wheel hub, the combination with a body member having radialprojections thereon at regular intervals separated to form slots betweenthem having straight parallel sidesJ the slots being closed at one end,the outer ends of the projections being rounded on a curve in the planeof the Wheel, of a removable plate closing the other end of said slotsand spring spokes having straight ends and being bent to lie slightlyover and against the outer curved ends of said projections.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature. in presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUSTA V. MITCHELL.

Witnesses ARTHUR L. BRYANT, JOHN M. Corr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe .Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

